ClarificationsAbout NASA before 1958
Along the career of flexible membrane wings, the same design had different names. The rigid-framed flexible membrane wings were called parawings, paragliders, flexible gliders and flexible wings. When we had the choice, we called them “parawings”. The all-flexible membrane wings were called parasails, all-flexible parawings, tension-structured parawings, single-keel and twin-keel parawings, gliding parachutes, limp paragliders and sailwings. When we had the choice, we called them “parasails”. The Paraglider Research Program included both parawings and parasails.
We divided hang gliders into two types: hang gliders, which started with Otto Lilienthal in the 1890’s (they only attracted few participants, and disappeared in the early 1970s), and modern hang gliders (which began with John Dickenson in 1963, were manufactured and flown in the tens of thousands, and are still manufactured today).
The terms “Flexible Kite” and “Flexikite” are not interchangeable. We have been very deliberate with our use of these terms.
Nasa Publications
NASA describes its scientific and technical publications like this:
- TR – Technical reports: important, complete, and a lasting contribution to existing knowledge.
- TN – Technical notes: of importance as a contribution to existing knowledge.
- TM – Technical memorandum: scientific and technical findings that are preliminary or of specialised interest. Does not contain extensive analysis.
- CR – Contractor report.
- SP – Special publications: information derived from or of value to NASA activities but not necessarily reporting the results of individual NASA-programmed scientific efforts. Publications include conference proceedings.